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Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac is the simplest, most powerful solution for running Windows on Mac without rebooting. You can use Mac and Windows applications side-by-side, quickly switch between Mac and Windows, and run common Windows applications or the most demanding graphical apps, such as Visio.

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• Desktop 12

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Mac users are fortunate to have not one, but two excellent commercial virtualization software packages to choose from, not to mention less-polished free alternatives like Virtual Box. In what has now become an annual ritual, VMware and Parallels have updated their respective Fusion and Desktop products to coincide with the recent release of macOS Sierra.

Last year, both companies delivered ambitious new versions to capitalize on back-to-back debuts of Windows 10 and OS X El Capitan, but the 2016 editions are somewhat more subdued by comparison. VMware marked the occasion by launching Fusion 8.5, a maintenance update with no new features.

Having celebrated its tenth anniversary for Desktop earlier this year, Parallels encouraged engineers to come up with at least one unique new feature to justify the upgrade to version 12, although the company’s usual relentless innovation produced a mixed bag this time around.

Open the Toolbox

Ironically, the marquee feature of Parallels Desktop 12 ($100 one-year Pro Edition or Business Edition subscription; $80 Standard Edition one-time purchase; $40 Student Edition one-time purchase) isn’t part of the core software at all, but a bundled standalone application called Parallels Toolbox (sold separately for $10) which is installed via Preferences. Toolbox consolidates 20 common, everyday tasks into a single menu bar window, making them easier to find and use.

These tools offer one-click simplicity for downloading or converting video, recording audio, muting the microphone, or performing system tasks such as locking the screen, hiding the desktop, preventing your Mac from going to sleep, and Do Not Disturb, which temporarily pauses notifications and Dock activity. Convenient? Yes, but none of the utilities are particularly special or unique, and power users are likely to have their own alternatives already installed.

Others are grouped into categories, providing functionality for taking screenshots, screen recording, archiving files, or managing time. I found the stopwatch, alarm, timer, and date countdown in the latter group particularly handy, since I typically defer such tasks to my iPhone or Apple Watch. Toolbox strictly works on the host OS—it has nothing to do with enhancing Mac, Windows, or Linux virtual machines.

One unfortunate side effect of Toolbox is that you’ll now have three separate Parallels icons taking up space on the menu bar: one for Toolbox, another for Desktop (when it’s actually running, of course), and a third for Parallels Access, the company’s $20 per year remote access service (included with annual Desktop subscriptions). There’s clearly room for some consolidation here, and the individual tools also add icon clutter to Launchpad, but at least they can be organized into a single folder there.

Always ready

If you spend an equal amount of time in Windows and macOS, Parallels Desktop 12 offers a number of welcome enhancements. Performance has been boosted across the board, with 25 percent faster access to shared folders and snapshots, and noticeably speedier suspend and resume—under five seconds on my 27-inch iMac Retina 5K.

VMs can now be configured to launch automatically when your Mac starts up, leaving them paused in the background while idle to avoid consuming valuable CPU time. (Remarkably, this continues to work even after quitting Desktop.) Located under Startup and Shutdown in the Options tab, “always ready in background” is accompanied by a handful of custom settings that determine how VMs behave when launched, closed, or shut down.

One of my biggest Windows 10 pet peeves is the heavy-handed approach to automatic updates. I don’t use Windows daily, so it every time I launch Parallels Desktop, performance is degraded as updates start installing in the background. The new Maintenance option allows such tasks to be blocked until the scheduled time, such as a weekend when my iMac isn’t in use. (VMs must be open at the time.) PD12 includes one year of free online storage (500GB) from Acronis, which can be used to back up your virtual machines.

Desktop 12 also makes using Windows on the Mac more seamless. Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents in Safari can be configured to open in their respective desktop Office 365 applications, and passwords entered in Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge can now be saved in your Mac keychain.

Last but not least, Parallels offers independent screen resolutions for multiple displays. In full-screen mode, my iMac runs Retina Display resolution, while the adjacent 27-inch Thunderbolt Display works as an extended 2560 x 1440 desktop, each in their own Space. (Sadly, there are no independent settings for backgrounds.)

There is at least one area where Desktop 12 takes a step back. Contextual menu shortcuts have been inexplicably removed from Control Center, which I always found quite handy for quickly reclaiming storage from my Windows VMs without having to open the Configure window.

Bottom line

If you already have an annual subscription, installing Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac is a no-brainer. Although the new Toolbox utilities aren’t compelling enough on their own to justify $50 for a perpetual license upgrade, the performance improvements and macOS Sierra support certainly are.

• Desktop 12

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  Pros

  • 20 bundled Toolbox utilities for one-click common Mac tasks
  • Big performance gains
  • Always ready in background option for faster launch times
  • Schedule Windows 10 maintenance, software updates

  Cons

  • Toolbox adds third Parallels menu bar icon
  • No more contextual menu in Control Center
  • Promised macOS Sierra Storage Optimization support missing

Parallels Desktop, a go-to program for anybody wanting to run Windows on a Mac, just got more powerful and convenient to use. The Parallels Desktop 12 update, brings increased speed as well as a suite of handy new tools that simplify everyday tasks.

“This is the best Windows-on-Mac performance in the history of Parallels,” said John Uppendahl, Parallels’ vice president of communications, during a briefing about the new software, which will be available Thursday for subscribers and upgraders. (New users must wait until Aug. 23.)

While web-based tools are on the rise, many people still find themselves relying on the thousands of platform-specific programs still in existence. Increasingly sophisticated virtualization software like Parallels Desktop and Parallels Access (which lets you access home or work computers via iPhone, iPad or Android phone) makes it easier than ever to use any file or program, whenever and wherever you want.

“Everybody’s straddling OSes,” Uppendahl said. “We make it possible for you to have everything you need.”

The upgrade offers a claimed 25 percent performance boost over the previous version of Parallels Desktop. During the demo, Windows apps loaded instantly.

“We are on the bleeding edge of performance,” said Uppendahl. “It feels native.”

Tiny tweaks make a big difference

Parallels Desktop For Mac Pro

The developers of Parallels Desktop also came up with simple ways to make the experience better than before. You can, for instance, buy Windows 10 directly from within Parallels Desktop or schedule Windows updates so they don’t bring your presentation to a screaming halt. Recently used files will be readily available on both your Mac and your Windows virtual machine, and all internet passwords can be saved to your Mac Keychain.

“It’s just all these little thoughtful things,” Uppendahl said.

There’s good news for early adopters who want to run Windows on Mac, too: Parallels Desktop 12 fully supports the upcoming macOS Sierra as either a host or a guest OS. Parallels’ virtual machines will even show up in macOS Sierra’s new Optimized Storage feature.

A virtual machine wizard makes it simple to add Windows and other operating systems to all versions of Parallels Desktop. Pro and Business editions of the virtualization software also add various features, like network simulators and various presets, that will be useful for developers and enterprise deployments.

Parallels Desktop 12 adds Parallels Toolbox

One of the slickest new features in Parallels Desktop 12 is Parallels Toolbox, which brings 20 single-purpose utilities to Mac. From muting your Mac’s mic or grabbing the perfect screenshot to downloading or converting a video, the tools are straightforward and convenient.

Some of the functionality included in the handy software suite can be found by digging into the Mac’s operating system, but Parallels Toolbox puts everything at your fingertips. The tools include, per Parallels’ press release:

• Distraction-free presentation modes for both Mac and Windows VMs, including Hide Desktop Files, Do Not Disturb,
  Keep Mac Awake.
• Archive, encrypt and password-protect all of your files.
• Simply capture screenshots or record video of a screen, window or area.
• Download videos from YouTube, Facebook and other websites with a single click.
• Time management tools (an alarm, timer, date countdown and stopwatch).
• Unpack files from ZIP, RAR and many other formats.

Parallels Toolbox is included in all new versions of Parallels Desktop, with Pro and Business edition subscribers gaining access to planned rollouts of additional tools. A standalone subscription to Parallels Toolbox is also available for $9.99 a year.

Parallels Desktop is good for gamers

If you want to play PC or Xbox games on your Mac, you’re in luck, too. Parallels worked with Blizzard Entertainment to optimize Parallels Desktop 12 for hit game Overwatch. Parallels Desktop also lets you load the Windows 10 Xbox app on Mac.

Parallels 12 For Mac Torrent

Parallels Desktop pricing and availability

Since Parallels Desktop 12 comes in three editions, and existing users and upgraders have a variety of licenses, pricing info gets thorny fast. It’s probably best to let Parallels’ press release lay out the details:

Parallels 12 For Mac Download

Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac, Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition are available today for subscribers and upgraders from Parallels Desktop 10 and 11, and general availability is Aug.23 online and at local retail and online stores worldwide.

Buy Parallels 12 For Mac Free

The recommended retail price (RRP) of Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac is $79.99. Upgrades for existing Parallels Desktop 10 and 11 for Mac perpetual license customers are $49.99, with an introductory offer to upgrade to a Parallels Desktop Pro Edition subscription for $49.99 per year for life. Parallels Desktop Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop Business Edition are available to new customers for $99.99 per year. Parallels Desktop Pro Edition and Business Edition include a complimentary Parallels Access subscription to remotely access up to five Mac or Windows PCs from any device.

Parallels 12 For Mac Activation Key

Parallels Toolbox for Mac is a feature of all versions of Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac whic hwill also be available as a stand-alone subscription product for $9.99 per year, including all new tools and updates planned for release every few months. Starting Aug. 23, a 14-day full-featured free trial can be downloaded and subscription purchased.